Big post - LJ, DW, Russians, with helpful links!

[elisi]

First of all - you can download your LJ:

BlogBooker

In days past there used to be something called LJ Book (which was free!), but it seems to have vanished or morphed into BlogBooker, which will cost you if you want to download more than a year. But at least it's an option! :)

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For safety, this is an excellent resource:

Encrypt the web: Install HTTPS Everywhere today.

Simple extension. Keeps you safe(r). ETA: Important caveat about HTTPS Everywhere: it cannot encrypt sites that do not have an https version. So this won't help anyone with LJ unless they reinstate their https. (With thanks to Promethia)

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If you want to make the leap to DreamWidth wholesale, here is an excellent guide:

How to Move to Dreamwidth and Like It

If you just want to back things up/cross post for now, simple guides under the cut:

To Import:

Go to Organize -> Import Content

https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/importer

Click 'Start Another Import' and follow the instructions. Literally as easy as clicking a button. Also quick.

To Organize crossposting:

Go to Organize -> Account Settings -> Other Sites

https://www.dreamwidth.org/manage/settings/?cat=othersites

Click on 'Add new Account' and sort out the different options. You can customise the footer that appears on the LJ f.ex.

Click Save and it's done. :)


ETA: Extra tip - if you name your DW icons the same as your LJ ones, the crosspost will choose the relevant icon.



Now, DW posted a news update yesterday, and they have had a large influx of new people (100,000!). But let's not forget that LJ is one of *the* platforms for blogging in Russia, and still is free and open for them. I wish I knew more about their side of it, how they are seeing the future. If they all want to go to DW or if they want to stick with LJ despite everything...

And this is probably as good a time as any to remind people of anniesj's story:

A Word to the Wise
Because of a (public) post ranting about the then President (Dubya - this was 2004) the Secret Service paid her a visit and she has an FBI file. And not because of snooping or google searches or anything like that, but because someone (on LJ) reported her.

Please read the whole post. It's increasingly relevant.

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Anyway, I'm gonna keep cross-posting for now. Being on DW wouldn't have helped anniesj any... (Not that it existed then.)

I wrote a post on LJ vs. DW last year (or 2015, rather). Although I have since found a new analogy for DW. It's from Buffy Summers Diary, a fic in the style of Bridget Jones where Buffy writes about her birthday party (S6, the one where they're all trapped in the house). And Xander & Anya bring a friend they try to set her up with:

'...Xander brought in Normal Richard at that point. Normal Richard pleasant and rather beige, like tapioca pudding or similar.'

So, Imma gonna stick with Spike for now, but keep Normal Richard on hand in case Spike does something unforgivable...

ETA: Other point - DW has no galleries. Yes I have a photobucket account, but LJ is about a million times easier and more convenient. (I use the old style which is far superior when it comes to images.) So that's a major stumbling block when it comes to moving... Hence, staying put for now, with caveats.

Comments

[promethia_tenk]

I'm going to put my journal back now, but if you want to use it, set your layout to Librarian's Dream, then paste this in your custom CSS box:

* {border-radius:5px!important;}

Change the number to make rounding more or less pronounced. You should be able to use to add rounded corners to most of the layouts.

[elisi]

We have been on a lovely frosty walk, so will get on that as soon as we're back!

[promethia_tenk]

Sounds lovely. It is just rainy dreary and muggy/mild here.

[elisi]

It is COLD. I prefer it to be less cold.